From vaunted defense to Vikings: 49ers QBs get a break Friday

Colin Kaepernick will be the No.2 quarterback in Friday's preseason opener against the visiting Vikings. (AP)

Good news for the 49ers quarterbacks: They get to face a different defense in four days.

Alex Smith, of course, will take the first snaps against the Vikings in Friday’s preseason opener and Jim Harbaugh said Colin Kaepernick, the No.2 quarterback entering training camp, will be the first signal-caller off the bench.

Today, the 49ers released their first depth chart of the season and it lists Josh Johnson as the third-string quarterback and Scott Tolzien as No. 4.

None of the 49ers’ quarterbacks has dazzled in recent practices as the defense has dominated. Today, Smith, Johnson and Kaepernick took turns throwing interceptions to Perrish Cox, Chris Culliver and Tramaine Brock, respectively.

“I’m the happiest guy in the world for it,” Jim Harbaugh said of the one-sided nature of the practices. “Our defense is playing extremely well, especially at this time of camp. If it was the other way and the offense was moving the ball down the field, down, down, down the field at will, it would be cause for great, great concern. The fact that our defense is making our offense better — the fact that there’s 16 other teams that have to look down that gun barrel — makes me the happiest guy in the world.”

For his part, safety Dashon Goldson wasn’t gloating. Goldson noted the defense returns 11 starters while the offense is mixing in new additions.

“They’ve got a lot of new faces, a lot of guys playing new positions so I think the competition will definitely heat up a little more once those guys get accustomed to what’s going on,” Goldson said.

One of the offensive standouts during camp, wide receiver Kyle Williams, said the defensive unit the 49ers face in practice could be the best they face all season.

“Those guys over there – they’re beasts and they’re ball hawks, every one of them,” Williams said. “The attitude that they come with every single day – it’s only going to make us sharper as an offense.”

** The 49ers are evidently down to four No. 1 wide receivers.

The depth chart lists Michael Crabtree as one starter. On the other side, Randy Moss OR Mario Manningham OR Ted Ginn is listed as the starter.

At the start of training camp, Harbaugh included Williams as one of the team’s five No. 1 wideouts. Williams is the No. 2 punt returner behind Ted Ginn. Rookie running back LaMichael James is the third-stringer.

** Crabtree’s next step in his recovery from a lower-leg injury was a minor one.

For the first time since his injury on the opening day of training camp, Crabtree was on the field in uniform and took part in an individual passing drill. He did not participate in a one-on-one tackling drill and later spent some time running pass routes under the supervision of trainers. He watched the team portion of practice from the sideline.

“He looked good,” Harbaugh said. “I haven’t talked to him yet since practice, but we’ll see how he responds, how he feels tomorrow and what the soreness is like.”

** Harbaugh began his press conference by offering his condolences to the family of Eagles coach Andy Reid, whose son, Garrett, 29, was found dead Sunday morning in his dorm room at Philadelphia’s training camp at Lehigh University.

Harbaugh’s brother, John, coached with Reid in Philadelphia from 1999-2007. John Harbaugh was the special teams coach.

“(We) want to send our condolences to the Reid family on their loss,” Harbaugh said. “We’re saddened with grief for them and our prayers are with them and Garrett at this time. The Reid family, both Andy Reid and Tammy Reid, mean a lot to the Harbaugh family. They’ve done nothing but good things for our family. And we’re very saddened at this time.”